Discipline Guidelines

Board of Education Policy- Affirmative Action Program for School and Classroom Practices #2260  

The Board of Education shall, in accordance with law, systematically monitors district procedures to ensure continuing compliance with anti-discrimination laws and regulations in school and classroom practices as outlined in Board of Education Policy #2260, which may be accessed on the district’s website, www.frhsd.com, and clicking on the “Board of Education” button under the Administration tab at the top of the page.  

Depending upon the seriousness of an offense and the number of repeated similar incidents, a student may be assigned a teacher detention, a central office detention, in-school detention, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, and/or exclusion from participation in school activities. 

Students assigned a detention will be asked to sign an acknowledgement that they are aware of the detention assignment and the rules that govern its conduct. A refusal or failure to sign the acknowledgement sheet in no way eliminates the assignment for the date and place of the detention or the requirement to follow the rules.

Detention Rules  

Students assigned to detention must obey the following rules or face additional disciplinary action:  

A. Students assigned to detention are expected to arrive at the designated time and location. Students arriving late to an assigned detention will not be admitted. Failure to report to an assigned detention on time is considered cutting the detention.  

B. Students must bring school work or reading materials. Electronic devices may be permitted by the proctor for the completion of school assignments only.

C. Absolutely NO TALKING is permitted during detention.  

D. Sleeping in detention is not permitted.  

E. Students who fail to comply with detention rules or the proctor’s directions, will be asked to leave and will not receive credit for attendance.   F. Food or drink is only permitted in lunch detention.  

G. Students absent from school on the day of an assigned detention shall assume the responsibility to report to detention the next day it is held or as rescheduled. You will not receive further notice of this arrangement. All detentions must be made up.  

H. If a student is dismissed early from school during the day, detention must be made up the day the student returns to school, the next time detention is held, or as rescheduled.  

I. If a student wishes to reschedule detention due to illness, the student must request and receive such permission from the school nurse prior to the end of the day of the assigned detention. The nurse will notify the parent/guardian before issuing such permission. The student shall assume the responsibility to report to detention the next day it is held or as rescheduled. The student will not receive further notice of this arrangement.  All missed detentions must be made up.

J. If a student wishes to reschedule a detention for a reason other than illness, the student’s parent/guardian must speak with an administrator before 12PM on the date of the assigned detention. A maximum of TWO parental reschedule requests will be accepted during any school year before an assigned detention is doubled due to the student’s absence. Excuses requested AFTER the assignment date will not be honored. No excuses will be granted unless they are requested in this manner. Students who fail to report to detention without prior approval are subject to further disciplinary action which may include additional detentions, suspension, and/or parental conference.  

K. Detention takes precedence over any other commitments, including work, participation in any extra-curricular activity, etc.  

L. Students may not go to lockers or bathrooms once detention has begun. Coats and other belongings must be brought to the detention room. All personal needs must be addressed prior to arrival at detention.  

M. Detention ends when the proctor dismisses students.   

Detention Hours  

Depending on individual high school arrangements, detentions may be held in the morning, during lunch, or after school at the times designated by the school administrator. In-school detention will be held during specific class periods/blocks.  

Board of Education Policy #5770

The Board of Education recognizes that a student's right to privacy may not be violated by unreasonable search and seizure and directs that no student be searched without reason or in an unreasonable manner.     Staff members are charged with the responsibility of maintaining order in the schools and safeguarding the safety and well-being of the students in their care. In the discharge of that responsibility, a staff member may search or request the search of the person or property of a student as authorized by this policy, with or without the student's consent, whenever he/she has reasonable grounds to suspect that the search is required to discover evidence of a violation of law or school rules. The extent of the search will be governed by the seriousness of the alleged infraction, the student's age, and the student's disciplinary history.  

Board of Education Policy-Sexual Harassment of Students #5751 

A. It is the policy of the Freehold Regional High School District to maintain a learning and working environment that is free from sexual and all other types of harassment. It shall be a violation of policy for any member of the FRHSD staff to harass another staff member or student through conduct or communications of a sexual nature. It shall also be a violation of policy for students to harass other students through conduct or communications of a sexual nature.  

B. Definitions  

1. Sexual harassment shall consist of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other inappropriate verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when made by any member of the school staff to a student, by any member of the school staff to another staff member, by any student to another student, or by any student to a staff member when:  

• submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or education; or when 
• submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or employment decisions affecting that individual; or when 
• such conduct has the purpose/effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s academic or professional performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment or educational environment.  

2. Sexual harassment, may include, but is not limited to, the following:  

• verbal harassment or abuse; 
• pressure for sexual activity; 
• repeated remarks to a person, with sexual or demeaning implications and unwelcome touching; or 
• suggesting or demanding sexual involvement accompanied by implied or explicit threats concerning one’s grades, job, etc.  

C. Procedures – Board of Education Regulation #5751  

1. Any person who alleges sexual harassment by any staff member or student in the school district may utilize the Affirmative Action Program for School and Classroom Practices Complaint procedure, complain directly to his/her immediate supervisor, building principal, or district ombudsman. Other building managers may be designated for informal complaints at the annual sexual harassment prevention meeting held for students and staff. Filing of a grievance or otherwise reporting sexual harassment will not reflect upon the individual’s status nor will it affect future employment, grades, or work assignments.  
2. The right to confidentiality, both of the complainant and of the accused, will be respected consistent with the school district’s legal obligations, with the necessity to investigate allegations of misconduct, and to take corrective action.  

D. Sanctions  

1.  A sustained charge against a district staff member shall result in disciplinary action, including discharge.  
2.  A substantiated charge against a student in the school district shall subject that student to student disciplinary action including suspension or expulsion, consistent with the student discipline code.  

Board of Education Policy-Suspension #5610  

A. Suspensions are assigned for severe disciplinary infractions. Assignment of an in-school or out-of-school suspension is at the discretion of the principal, and determined by the severity of the incident, student’s disciplinary history, and unique mitigating circumstances.  

B. Students assigned in-school suspension must report each day by the beginning of 1st block to the location designated by school administration and bring their class assignments and materials. Students will remain in in-school suspension for the entire school day and will adhere to all in-school suspension rules, and may not participate in any after-school activities. Students may also be assigned in-school suspension for a partial day at the discretion of the administrator. Students assigned out-of-school suspension are NOT PERMITTED ON SCHOOL PROPERTY AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON unless permission to be present has been requested and granted by a building administrator.  

C. Any suspended student may neither participate in nor attend ANY school sponsored event, including graduation, dances, athletic events, etc. Failure to abide by this regulation is to risk further disciplinary action as well as a police complaint for trespassing.  

D. Suspensions from school are considered EXCUSED absences and do not count toward the total number of absences in the credit withdrawal limit. When a student is suspended from school, a readmission conference with the principal, assistant principal, or their designee may be held with a parent/guardian before the student is allowed to resume classes.  

Board of Education Policy-Weapons/Firearms #5611, #5613 and #8467 

The New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, Title 2C definition of “weapon” means “anything readily capable of lethal use or of inflicting serious bodily injury including firearms, firearm components which can be readily assembled for operation; knives; stun guns; and any weapon or device which projects, or emits tear gas or any other substance intended to produce temporary physical discomfort or permanent injury through being vaporized or otherwise dispensed in the air” (N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1r). Additionally, students and parents should also note that knives of any style or with any blade length, including but not limited to, penknives, and Swiss-Army style knives are banned from school property.  

Students and parents should note that facsimiles of weapons are also banned from school property. Any attempt to bring a weapon or a facsimile of a weapon to school will be considered a serious offense and will result in disciplinary action.